On the isoperimetric inequality and surface diffusion flow for multiply winding curves (Q2220650)

The authors address the problem of establishing a generalized isoperimetric inequality for rotationally symmetric immersed closed curves, not necessarily convex, in the plane. The result is then applied to solve the Cauchy problem of the curve diffusion flow. It is known that such a problem can have solutions which develop a finite-time singularity even if the immersed initial curve is smooth. The first main result is stated in Theorem 1.1. Its proof, divided into two stages, is based on the proof of a type of isoperimetric inequality for open curves. The second main result is the subject of Theorem 1.2 in which the authors apply the first result to obtain a unique global-in-time solution for the surface diffusion flow for curves for a smooth initial curve datum.